Published 1:00 am, Tuesday, February 24, 2009

"I realize there's been a lot of collective angst with the pace of developments along the branch lines," Marie, who was hired last summer by Republican Gov.
M. Jodi Rell
, told the legislature's transportation committee.

His comments came during a public hearing on a bill, submitted by Sen.
Toni Boucher
, R-Wilton, that would require the DOT to increase the pace of improving the Danbury line.

But the reality is, Marie said in a later interview , his department already has many other projects to contend with and the state is billions of dollars in the red.

"We will move forward with a strategy for investment to make it a more productive, efficient and reliable line," Marie said. "But any recommendation is subject to money, and we've got a lot of things stacked on our plate right now." The line connecting Danbury to lower Fairfield County and New York City, is a single track with aged signals and infrastructure, making it difficult to increase service despite increased ridership demands.

"Even though the regional, long-range transportation plans have designated the Danbury branch improvements as a priority, very few have been implemented," Weston First Selectman Woody Bliss told legislators.

Phase 1, which ended in 2006, proposed five improvement alternatives including re-electrifying the rail-line and expanding the branch to New Milford.

The current phase, begun in 2007, is supposed to determine the best course of action to improve the line. Marie during the interview said he did not know all the details of why the study has dragged on.

He said it is complicated, particularly because the federal government imposed a variety of additional requirements, including detailed environmental reviews.

But Marie also acknowledged: "We need to bring more energy around the notion of project and study completion at the DOT. That's clear," said Rep.

Christopher Perone, D-Norwalk, during the hearing, urging Marie to inject urgency into improving the Danbury line and approach it the way the United States planned a moon landing.

"Our inability to get this thing further (along) is hurting our own economic well-being," Perone said.

Commuter Rail Council head
Jim Cameron
, who was present for the hearing, said he has been on the council for 15 years and the state has been promising to improve the Danbury line for as many years.

He called Marie a "straight shooter" but said will not be convinced DOT is serious about improving the Danbury line until they actually act. "They've got to do something," Cameron said.